Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe
This vibrant Christmas Salad combines fresh baby spinach or mixed greens with sweet and tart pomegranate seeds, cranberries, and thinly sliced apples. Topped with crunchy candied pecans or walnuts, optional crumbled feta cheese, and a tangy honey mustard dressing, it’s a festive, colorful, and refreshing side dish perfect for holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 4 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
- 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (or dried cranberries)
- 1 medium apple, thinly sliced (such as a Gala or Granny Smith)
- ½ cup candied pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
For the Honey Mustard Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and Dry the Greens: Start by washing your spinach or mixed greens thoroughly. Dry them gently with a salad spinner or a paper towel to remove excess moisture to ensure the salad is crisp and not watery.
- Slice the Apple: Core and thinly slice the apple. Leaving the skin on adds more color and nutrients to the salad.
- Prepare the Pomegranate and Cranberries: Remove seeds from the pomegranate carefully. If using fresh cranberries, you can leave them whole or slice them in half for a milder flavor.
- Toast the Nuts (Optional): To enhance flavor, toast the candied pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Let them cool.
- Make the Honey Mustard Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Toss the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the greens, pomegranate seeds, cranberries, apple slices, toasted nuts, and crumbled feta or red onion if using. Gently toss to mix.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the salad and toss again until evenly coated. Add dressing gradually to avoid overdressing.
- Serve: Serve immediately as a refreshing, colorful side dish or starter, perfect for the holiday season.
Notes
- Toasting the nuts is optional but adds great flavor and crunch.
- Feta cheese and red onion are optional; omit for a milder or dairy-free salad.
- If fresh cranberries are too tart, substitute with dried cranberries or soak fresh ones briefly in warm water.
- Use a salad spinner to dry greens thoroughly to prevent dressing from becoming watery.
- Adjust the amount of honey and mustard in the dressing according to your taste preference.
Keywords: Christmas salad, honey mustard dressing, spinach salad, holiday salad, pomegranate salad, healthy salad, festive salad
